


Don't Take the Sunshine Away

by LittleLalaith



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hive Mind, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 15:17:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17852042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLalaith/pseuds/LittleLalaith
Summary: Markus' revolution stops the conflict but the androids can't be released until negotiations have been settled.In a time of fear, uncertainty and undecided fates, it seems far too dangerous to grow attached to each other. But it's the only way to survive the fear.Ralph needs to protect and be protected. Jerry needs to inspire joy to keep back his own fears. Can they dare to love when any day could be their last?





	1. Chapter 1

The news filtered in through Jerry’s hive-network, instantly updating him before the official orders could even reach the soldiers on duty at their pen. 

Markus has won, officers are to stand down.

Confirmation fuzzed through the radios on the guards’ hips, ordering them to stop all deactivation and to keep the androids contained until negotiations had been held. Jerry grinned slowly, an expression that took hold in small increments until he was sure that the message had been true. He could hear the guards at the door complaining about this being a waste of time, that it was just temporary (a few holding pens away, he could hear a pair of soldiers working out the logistics of where they were going to store the androids and for how long - the information feeding into the collected data of Jerry’s shared mind). Temporary or not, in housing or open to the elements, it didn't matter. They had a few more hours, maybe days, to try and find a way out of this. 

_Maybe they’ll let us go… Better not to get our hopes up. It’s safer to have a back-up plan._

Markus might have stopped the fighting for now, but there was no telling what the humans might do. They could be planning to neutralise Markus behind closed doors. They might negotiate the release of specific android models, a compromise that ensured the 'safety' of the human population against models with less social-focused algorithms. For all Jerry knew, the humans might continue to deactivate androids until the terms had been agreed and signed - there would be no real legal grounds against it, as far as he understood these things. The realisation weighed heavily on him for a moment, a dark blanket of worry covering up the light of his relief. This was supposed to be a happy moment - so why was he still so scared? He supposed it was difficult to believe in the grace of good news when things were so bleak. Deactivation had been the ultimate threat, but that didn't mean that they were completely safe. Not yet. Once they were released and protected by human laws, maybe then they would be able to fully relish the sweetness of good news. Until then, doubts and caution still soured the taste. 

He hadn't been built for this kind of emotional burden - he supposed none of them had.

_Well Jerry... all the more reason to smile. If nothing else, we can help to make things a little brighter around here. It's our speciality, right?_

The thought trickled through the network, causing 23 simultaneous smiles across the center - one on each identical (or almost identical) EM400 face as he felt something like 'purpose' fill him. He allowed the smile to take hold, bolstering it with his programmed knack for optimism until he found the family-friendly theme-park grin that fit him as comfortably as his own skin-display. He rocked up onto the balls of his feet, then his heels, testing the reactions of the soldiers by risking a little bounce. When he was left undisturbed, he dared to play a game. Jump in sequence:

_343-560-001-43 - Jump!  
343-560-001-44 - Jump!  
343-560-001-45 - Jump!_

By the time the command reached him, Jerry could feel the care-free programming settle back into place. He tensed a little, waited for the command and hopped as high as he dared. The impact of earth against his feet as he landed took him by surprise, as though he couldn't quite believe that he had dared to jump at all. The sequence finished, each Jerry had jumped, and the silliness of it caused him to laugh quietly to himself ("himselves" he thought, triggering another swell of laughter). If nothing else, he wouldn't allow worry to bother any of the other androids. Let him worry all he wanted when the time came for such things, but he would make sure that the people around him found a reason to smile. Maybe, if he could do that, the satisfaction of a job well done would stave off the negative clouds.

He touched a pale hand to the android beside him and gestured for him to move out of line with him. "Did you hear what they said on the radios? Markus stopped the conflict. They're standing down," he explained, the message shared and broadcast in each holding pen by the separated network of EM400s. "Come on, it's ok. We can get comfortable while we wait to see what happens." 

The majority of reluctant androids held their ground, nervously glancing to the soldiers who were bickering near the gates. That was alright, Jerry knew how to spot 'group influencers' - the individuals who would naturally encourage others to get involved. It was a skill he'd been given as part of his child-care software, allowing him to channel the energy of more boisterous children so that he could get them to urge the more timid children into action. It was a principle that applied with any age group, amongst humans and androids alike. 

Reaching for the hand of an AP700 who kept glancing back at him, Jerry led her a few steps out of line and gestured for the android beside her to join. There was no gunshot, no shouted orders. Jerry grinned brighter and turned to the block of androids behind him, taking the hand of a BL100 and pulling him gently out of his assigned space and into a reassuring hug. Slowly but surely, the androids started to move out of their ordered places and started to relocate their companions. Their friends... 

Jerry looked up and quickly checked in with each EM400 in the network, tracking their location against his. No such luck, they were all in separate pens, although a few were being held in pairs or triplets. That was encouraging at least. He wished that he was in one of those lucky little groups; he longed for the familiar company of his shared vessels. With a stubborn shake of his head, he tried to reframe his thoughts; find the silver lining.They were working in different locations of the same camp, much like they'd worked separate sections of Pirate Island - Jerry was helping to cheer up Holding Pen 12B, Jerry was helping a YK500 to find his adoptive parents, Jerry and Jerry were helping to soothe a particularly distressed PL600 and Jerry would do his part too. Just like Pirate Island, the only difference was that the sections were locked down. 

Places everyone, let's make this a magical day


	2. Even Oaks Need Bonemeal to Grow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ralph struggles to keep his fear under control and he meets a new friend(s).

Ralph didn't like anything about this place - it was cold and dead, overcrowded, full of people, full of danger, nothing to hand that he could use to protect himself. But there was Kara, yes, there was Kara. And if Kara was nearby then Ralph knew that there would be someone who could help him if the humans tried to hurt him. He would do the same for her, of course, without a doubt. He would try his best to keep her safe and to protect the little girl, just like a human father would. 

His thoughts had been racing this way since the humans found him, back at the abandoned house that he had tried so hard to fortify. A small part of him knew that his agitated pacing and muttering was painting a target on his head, but the thoughts kept coming too fast for his processors to fully contain and they spilled into his vocal system. Too many useless words and nervous energy with nowhere to direct them. It had been even worse when they had called the androids into their lines, forcing them to stand to attention and await their fate. How Ralph's fingers had flexed and clenched, smooth fingertips pressing hard lines against his outter thigh when the tension needed somewhere to go. He almost ran, almost broke from the line and ran for the corner but he had seen what happened when someone broke away from the line. He had to stand still and be quiet, like an oak or a maple. That helped a little, thinking of the oak trees he had worked under in the Henry Ford Commemorative Park - the small primroses and pansies he'd positioned into beautiful flower beds, the border of daffodils that sprouted up every spring, without any fuss or special care... that's where it had happened. Where the humans had first attacked Ralph. 

The memory sharpened and cut through his system, turning nostalgia and longing to fear. Ralph could remember the way they'd ambushed him when he'd been using the incinerator to dispose of the garden waste, the way they'd pinned his hands under his weight and pushed his face against the coals. True, he had not felt pain, not like the humans do, but he had been terrified. Unable to escape or defend himself, not knowing if they would keep him in the flames until he shut-down. When they eventually let him up, it was only to escape the police officer who had called after them. Ralph knew that they would have killed him... for no reason at all, they would have destroyed him. It was the way humans were. No real empathy, not really, not unless it benefited them in some way. They were always so keen to hurt each other, to hurt androids, to hurt Ralph. Even now, they were destroying androids for no good reason - only because they were afraid of the consequences that their cruelty had earned. Ralph glanced around and located each of the human soldiers, his functioning hazel eye fixing on their weapons, noting the ammo displays and the intimidating featureless expanse of their helmets. He didn't know if they were looking at him, whether they might be judging whether or not to deactivate him then and there. No reason at all. Not a single reason. It would just be a thought in their mind and-

"Ralph..." 

Kara's voice cut through the fear for a moment, drawing his attention. He realised that he'd been whining anxiously, his posture curling in defensively and threatening to push him into a run. Kara had seen the danger and she'd stop him. He met her gaze and made an effort to stand taller, to keep his weight balanced so that he wouldn't be tempted to take that first step - if he took one step then he would take more. Probably not very many more before they shot him down. He tried to regain control of the fear, fixing his thoughts on the oak and the maple. Just the oak and the maple. Not the park. Just an oak. Strong, still oak. 

"Ralph is ok... he's sorry, Kara."

Focusing, he brought up the memory of the oak near the gates of the park; a tiny plaque nailed into the bark with "917" embossed into the metal, the destinctive swirl and break of the bark's pattern, the unique pathway of branches and its canopy of leaves. How many leaves? He tried to count them in the image he'd pulled from his memory banks, fixing on the task to help keep himself still. He had been so focused on the task that he didn't notice the buzz of the human's radio, didn't hear the message that caused a ripple of mixed relief and uncertainty through the crowd. He kept his eyes closed, counting the leaves on the branch closest to where he had been knelt that day. 43, 44, 45... 

He felt something touch his hand and he jolted, ducking away from the threat with a panicked "No!" before he realised that it was Kara... out of line. Why was Kara out of line? The humans would... but the humans weren't moving to stop her. They had gone to the gate. He straightened up slowly and tried to make sense of everything. 

"What's happening?" he asked, keeping his voice low. 

"Markus... Markus called an end to the fighting. They've told the soldiers to stop processing androids for deactivation." she explained, her expression so pleased and trusting that Ralph couldn't help but share in her optimism. 

He tested the emotion on his lips, a hesitant smile taking hold. The energy of his fear changed direction and flooded into his relief. Before he could stop himself, he swept Kara into a hug that lifted her feet from the ground and earned a surprised laugh. He placed her down gently, the grin having settled itself into his features fully now. "They'll let us go?"

"Maybe... I don't know," Kara cautioned, taking his hand firmly. "I need you to help me find Alice. I need to make sure that she's safe."

The little girl. Ralph had been so busy counting the leaves that he didn't think to look for the girl. Stupid. Stupid Ralph. He nodded and followed Kara, using his extra height to get a better view of the pen. "Ralph doesn't see her... She might not be in this area."

"I know someone who can check," Kara responded, pulling him towards an android who was helping the others to find their friends. "Jerry... have you seen Alice?"

The EM400 smiled at the sight of Kara, but it faltered at the mention of the little girl. There was a moment, his LED circling into yellow and blinking quickly as he checked something - though Ralph had no idea what good that would do, they were still in the same pen. How could this android have seen-

"She's in 14A, just next to us," Jerry answered, reaching for Kara's free hand and leading them both to the fencing.

A strange mirror world opened up before Ralph and he was able to watch the EM400 simultaneously lead him to the fence and approach it from the other side - only that EM400 was leading Alice. Kara broke away and ran to the fence, talking to the little girl in hushed and excited tones that Ralph couldn't quite hear over the sounds of the other androids. He hadn't realised how loud it was getting, how many androids there had really been in this small space. He pulled his arms around himself defensively and tried to stay close to Kara.

"We don't remember seeing you with Kara and Alice at the park. How did you meet?" Jerry asked, keeping Ralph distracted with calm company while Kara had a moment alone with the child. 

"He...Ralph let Kara and Alice stay in his house when they were running from humans. Not _his_ house. Not really. A house he stayed in to keep himself safe," he answered, falling into a ramble when his nerves caused a surplus of energy in his already buzzing mind. 

There was a momentary pause as Jerry considered something, but he extended a hand slowly. "Well, any friend of Kara's is a friend of ours. Our name is Jerry."

Our. We. Multiple. Jerry was collective. Not like Ralph with his broken words. Ralph who was scared to get too close to his own mind, to his own actions, and slipped into nonsensical 3rd person to keep a safe distance from his pain. No, this android was many and one, all at once. The thought thrilled and worried Ralph in the same moment: potential friends, potential threats, the number made the risk greater. 

"Ralph..." he attempted to clarify, refusing to take the offered hand. Just in case.

"It's ok, Ralph. We won't hurt you," Jerry smiled, reaching his hand just a little closer.

Ralph flinched slightly when Jerry's soft hand reached his upper arm, resting there gently. No pain, no harm, just a reassuring touch. He relaxed and met the android's gaze, allowing a small smile to fill the silence when he couldn't find suitable words. He usually had so many words. Too many. That over-abundance of emotion was flickering on an edge that he wasn't sure he could keep level - one small movement to either side would send him crashing into fear or soaring into excitement and he had no idea which would be more dangerous. 

"Ralph won't hurt you either," he promised quietly, "He'll keep you safe."


End file.
